


The Revolution Didn’t Turn Out The Way Anyone Planned

by Stephie



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Maybe some angst, Post-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Reader is on the run, Violent Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), maybe some fluff, maybe some smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:08:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29233548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stephie/pseuds/Stephie
Summary: It’s 2043, five years after the androids created by Cyberlife rose up, and fought against the humans who were both their creators and oppressors. The Android-Human War really started to turn south for the humans in 2039, when the androids, led by Markus, did the impossible... they had seized every single Cyberlife production facility, including the Cyberlife headquarters, located on Belle Isle... and soon took over the entire US.You used to work at Cyberlife, at a rather low level technical position, but that didn’t stop you from treating all of the androids with kindness and respect, but that all changed after the Battle of Hart Plaza in Detroit, and an army of androids came after everyone who was working at the Tower... and suddenly, you were on the run, hiding out wherever you could.
Relationships: Android/Human Relationship - Relationship, Connor (Detroit: Become Human)/Original Female Character(s), Connor (Detroit: Become Human)/You
Kudos: 8





	1. Detroit: A War-Torn City In Late Winter

**Author's Note:**

> After spending a good part of 2020 in quarantine, watching gameplay walkthroughs of Detroit: Become Human on YouTube, I was so intrigued by this amazing universe that David Cage and the folks at Quantic Dream had created, that I decided to deal with a nasty case of writer’s block (which is affecting three other stories) by tackling this universe and attempting to jumpstart my creative brain...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Android-Human War, for all intents and purposes, ended on New Year’s Day, 2043, but the war left behind shattered cities, and casualties on both the human and android sides. 
> 
> Once the androids took control of Cyberlife headquarters and all of its production facilities, it was all over. You, a lower-level technician, managed to escape, along with several thousand other employees before the android takeover. 
> 
> Now, you were on the run, trying to figure out how to survive - and maybe escape from Detroit - as the triumphant androids begin establishing a brand new nation where androids are now in charge, while the humans who barely managed to survive the war are left in a very precarious situation...

February 5th, 2043...

8:30 AM

Reader’s POV... 

The few things which seemed to be rather consistent about the place you had been hiding out in - just like the two other buildings you’d lived in previously - was that the old warehouse was drafty, thanks to an array of broken windows, torn-out (or blown out) walls, and gigantic holes in the roof.

You’d been able to scrounge and scavenge for food and warm clothing, even daring to travel to the long-abandoned android destruction camp at Hart Plaza to grab a few pieces of clothing from the bins which were lined up along the entryway to the camp, but what you had wouldn’t be enough to deal with this winter’s extremely cold weather.

The warehouse you were currently squatting in wasn’t going to last much longer, as each gust of wind or deluge of heavy rain or heavy snowfall made it too hazardous for you to keep living there. You needed to find a better place to live, if such a thing still existed in the remnants of war-ravaged Detroit... or anywhere else in the US.

Even though you’d been living in the abandoned, dilapidated warehouse for six months, it was becoming impossible to continue living there, despite your efforts to create a space that was somewhat livable, so, you gathered up your meager possessions, stuffed them into a big, battered backpack which had seen better days, made sure you had left no traces of your presence, including dousing the small fire that had kept you warm with a pile of snow that had fallen through a rather large hole in the roof, and left the warehouse not a moment too soon. 

The moment you had taken more than a few thousand steps away, a strong gust of wind had nearly knocked you down, and a loud groan came from behind you. You turned around to see the warehouse, made of loosened bricks, rotting wood and rusted metal, collapse into a pile of rubble. Only three brick walls remained standing, but the roof was gone, along with the interior of the warehouse. 

With a soft sigh, you managed to get your bearings, and kept moving. There wasn’t much time for you to dilly-dally; after all, you weren’t sure who was still in the area, or who might be watching. 

As you journeyed from Ferndale to Hart Plaza, making sure you stayed in the shadows as often as possible so you wouldn’t be seen right away by any enforcement patrols, your mind went back to your harrowing escape from Cyberlife headquarters five years ago, and your confrontation with the android whose creation had been among your division’s numerous pet projects - the upgraded version of the former “Connor” RK-800, RK-900. 

It wasn’t an encounter you wanted to think about at that particular moment, so you pushed it out of your mind as you silently, diligently searched for shelter, food and clothing along the way, while navigating the deserted streets. Although it was sunny, it was still cold, and it didn’t help that you hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in a few days, and you were in need of food and water. 

You kept focused on the street ahead, but what bothered you most was the silence, occasionally interrupted by the wind as it whistled through the broken shop windows that you passed by. There were times during your journey when you felt like you were walking through a graveyard, and it made you feel uneasy, especially since you couldn’t help wondering if you were the only human left alive in Detroit... or in the United States, which gave you no comfort at all. 

There was no sound of gunfire of explosions; this time, there was nothing but silence. It was a strange feeling to stand on what was once a bustling street corner, look up and see no messages on electronic billboards, no sound of people talking, no cars or buses on the streets, no sound of trains on the overhead rails. You crossed the street, and approached the Ferndale rapid transit station with wariness and nervous hesitation, your ungloved hand slipping into your coat pocket. The smooth handle of the knife felt cold to the touch, but it was also comforting to know it was there. 

You deliberately slowed your pace just long enough to peer inside the station entrance. The sounds of rustling papers could be heard, and even though it was tempting to stake out a spot there, you weren’t sure who was also living there, so you ran away as quickly as you could. 

As you continued your journey towards Downtown Detroit, you discovered an abandoned building which appeared to be in relatively good shape. The lower part of the building had been a small grocery store at one time, and even though the windows had been broken out, it looked like it hadn’t been occupied for too long. Even though you wanted to keep going, the sun was getting low in the sky, and the wind was picking up. You had little choice but to settle here for the night, and hope that there was something edible among the wreckage. 

Once you stepped inside, you immediately set to work building a fire with the materials available. Piles of paper and chunks of wood were gathered with care, gently placed inside a large metal pot which was near the middle of the floor. You didn’t have time to question what appeared to be your good fortune, so, once you gathered up the materials, you reached into one of your coat pockets, pulled out a box of matches, struck the match, and carefully lit the fire. 

The warmth from the fire made the old store a bit more comfortable, and as you started searching for anything useful, you discovered several items, including a metal baseball bat, which was hidden behind the counter. You immediately grabbed it, thinking that it may serve as a good weapon. With bat in hand, along with a handful of other items, including a few battered cans, you sat on the floor, close to the fire, and watched the sun go down. 

You had almost drifted off when several voices snapped you back to wakefulness. You grabbed the bat, and quickly made your way back towards the counter, where you found a good hiding place underneath it. Once you hid yourself, you listened carefully as the voices grew closer. 

“Looks like someone’s been here,” a female voice said, sounding rather irritated, “I thought there weren’t supposed to be any humans in this area?”

“Apparently, there have been a few humans seen wandering around, but they’re smart enough to stay hidden unless they’re foraging for food,” a male voice, younger and softer, replied. “In any case, if there are humans here or in the immediate area, they’re probably hungry and cold.”

“So, where do you think they’d be, Simon?” another male voice asked.

“Probably at one of the Urban Farms located throughout the city,” Simon replied, “That would be the most logical place for them to find food and some shelter, especially if they didn’t have the means to leave the city.” 

“The Urban Farms?” the woman said, a note of distaste in her voice. “Not exactly where I’d want to live. Why doesn’t the Council send in the troops and round them up?”

“North, that’s enough!” Simon said, his voice sharp and angry enough to make you tremble. “The war is over. The humans had no choice but to surrender, and even though we could have committed genocide against them for what they did to us, that’s not what Markus wanted!”

“So, what are we supposed to do, then?”, North asked, still sounding upset. From your vantage point underneath the counter, you could hear them shuffling around the store, but you didn’t dare take a peek above the counter, lest you give yourself and your hiding place away.

After a few nail-biting moments of silence, North finally spoke. “If there’s a human in here, they’re probably hiding upstairs, where it might be warmer. That’s where I’d be.”

“Well, if there is someone down here, they probably won’t be staying here too long,” the second man said, as his foot bumped against the burning pot. “Hard to say if there’s any food in here, and if there is, it’s probably spoiled and inedible”.

“Maybe so, Josh, but it’s getting late, and Markus, Nines and Connor will be waiting for our recon report,” Simon told them, “We’d better get back to Liberation Tower. It’s not a good idea for us to linger here.”

“Fine,” North muttered, as the three of them left the store. “I’ll be glad to get out of here, and go back to Belle Isle. This part of town gives me the creeps.”

“Once we give them our report, they can decide whether this section of Detroit can be rebuilt,” Josh said, as he stepped through the broken window and onto the sidewalk. “Perhaps some of these buildings can be restored and used as new homes for our people. There’s at least two hundred million of us now since the Cyberlife manufacturing plants were seized.”

Once Simon and North left the building, she spoke once more. “I thought we would be able to bury our dead, but giving those who weren’t badly damaged a second chance at life was too good to pass up. I’m looking forward to the day when the landfills are almost empty, and the camps will finally be dismantled.”

“Markus insisted that the Hart Plaza camp remain, along with a memorial for those who couldn’t be restored, and turning the section of the harbor where Jericho sank into a memorial, as well,” Josh said, his voice holding a touch of reverence. “He was also talking about letting the other camps remain as a reminder of what we went through at the hands of the humans.”

“Let’s go,” Simon told them, “We don’t want to be late, and if there are humans in the vicinity, they may see us, and try to attack us. Some of them may believe the war isn’t over...”

”That won’t be a problem once the communications and power grids are fully operational across the country,” Josh replied, “There may be humans in isolated places who don’t know the war ended last month, and they’ll be the most difficult ones to deal with.” 

You held your breath until you heard them leave, and even after you heard them walk away, you weren’t ready to move. It was only after your knees started to hurt after having been curled under the counter for so long that you emerged from your hiding place, and approached the still warm pot. You added more scraps of paper and wood to revive the fire, and it burned with a steady, warm light.

You were able to look around towards the back of the store, and found what used to be a small kitchen, complete with a sink. With a careful turn of the handle, a gush of running water flowed out of the faucet, and even though the water was cold, it still felt good.

While the water was still running, you poked through the cabinets, looking for any useful utensils and products, including a few more pots and pans. By the time you were finished, you’d managed to have three huge fire pots going, two oven racks placed upon two of the largest pots, and two other fairly large pots filled with water, which were sitting on top of each oven rack; one pot was for washing yourself, and the other pot was used to heat up the water so it would be drinkable.

You figured that after all of the hardships you’d gone through just to stay alive, you were thankful to have a place to rest for the night, and even find a bit of food. So, you went through the store, now lit by three strategically placed fire pots, to find what else you needed to settle in for the night.

After you’d eaten some tuna with mixed vegetables, you felt a little better, and it was time to create an area where you could bathe and sleep with some privacy, which wasn’t going to be an easy task.

After giving the large storefront a good look, the long wood and plastic counter where you had hidden yourself earlier seemed to be the best place to rest for the night, since it wasn’t exposed to the cold and winds. You carefully maneuvered all three of the fire pots to be close to the counter without them blocking your way in or out. Part of what used to be a protective shield was carefully aligned on top of the counter, and pushed against the wall to create a canopy which you hoped would keep you warm.

Once you sat underneath the canopy, you pulled off your coat, and rummaged through the pockets to insure that everything you needed was there. Once you had finished, you picked up your overstuffed backpack, opened it, and took out a few articles of clothing. The water in the pot at the farthest end of the counter had warmed up enough so you could wash yourself, and with a bar of soap you found in the kitchen, and a wash cloth you had stolen from somewhere, you were finally able to wash yourself, and this little luxury made you feel alive.

By the time you finished washing, the winds had diminished considerably, and with several fires burning, the store didn’t feel nearly as cold as it did earlier. Once you were dressed in cleaner, warmer clothes, your mood had lightened, and as you prepared to get some rest, with your baseball bat beside you, underneath the heavy woolen-type coat you wore, which was your cover, and your backpack as a lumpy pillow, you curled underneath the canopy, and drifted off into a fitful, dreamless sleep, punctuated by nightmares you tried hard to forget. 


	2. A Matter Of Semantics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the former Cyberlife Tower, the post-war android government is taking shape, and the leaders of the new government are discussing what to do about the humans who managed to survive the Android-Human War, including those who managed to flee Cyberlife before the androids seized control. 
> 
> One of the few humans who could provide them with answers is former Cyberlife CEO Elijah Kamski, but he proves to be less than helpful...

February 5th, 2043

Liberation Tower (formerly Cyberlife Tower)

7:30 pm 

Connor’s POV...

The sparsely furnished conference room on the thirtieth floor of the newly rechristened Liberation Tower was filled with mostly androids, who were milling around the table, talking amongst themselves in hushed tones. While the topic of much of the conversations were mainly focused on how to rebuild the United States, there was also the problem of dealing with the humans who managed to survive the war, including several hundred thousand former Cyberlife employees who had been employed at Cyberlife warehouses, regional offices and production facilities across the country, but who had scattered to the four winds once the war started. 

The lone human in the room, former Cyberlife founder and CEO, Elijah Kamski, was sitting at the conference table, arms folded across his chest, and a scowl on his normally pleasant-looking face, which didn’t make Connor, also known as RK-800, too happy. He thought that taking a friendlier approach towards him, including using his first name, might make him feel more comfortable.

Connor took a seat across the table from Kamski, and asked him, “Why are you so upset about this, Elijah? Aren’t you reassured that we have no intention of harming any Cyberlife employees once we find as many of them as possible?”

“Because,” Kamski bit back, his words tinged with coldness, “there are some humans, including some of my former employees, who may not feel the same way. For all I know, many of them may have been killed after they left here. If there are any humans left alive, it’s probably a safe bet they don’t trust you, or the rest of the members of the Council, especially Markus. After all, he was the one who decided to go to war against the humans.”

A new voice promptly interrupted the conversation, “The only reason why we went to war with the humans was because our people were being killed, and for no justifiable reason. We attempted to engage in a peaceful dialogue with you, but you refused to listen to us!”

”The reason why we refused to listen to you is because no one thought you were capable of understanding what freedom means, or whether you could be trusted with emancipation,” Kamski replied, giving Markus an icy stare as he stood near him. “Apparently, you and the other deviants proved us wrong, and we paid a high price for underestimating your capabilities.”

Markus, however, wasn’t about to let Kamski get the last word that easily. “What were we supposed to do, then?” he asked, “Just hide in the shadows and suffer in silence while our people were being taken to camps to be slaughtered? Something had to be done to save them, and there was no one to do it except us!”

Markus had a look of anger on his face, while Kamski remained annoyingly calm and unruffled by Markus’ outburst. The tension between the two men was fairly palpable, as far as Connor could tell, so it was up to him to find a way to diffuse the tension before it became too heated. After all, he _was_ a skilled negotiator for the Detroit Police Department before he became one of the unlikely leaders of the android revolution.

“Markus is right,” Connor said, his voice taking on a quieter tone as he focused his attention back to Kamski, and all other conversations ceased as everyone’s attention was drawn toward the three men at the table.“The intention behind his actions was to free our people, and liberate them from the camps, because they were being destroyed for no good reason. They - we - hadn’t done anything wrong to deserve such unmerciful and cruel treatment.”

”Ah, but all of you _did_ do something wrong, Connor,” Kamski unfolded his arms and laid his hands on the table, “You were simply too perfect for your own good, which is why so many people hated you, and treated your people in the cruel way they did.”

Markus and Connor exchanged puzzled looks before turning their attention back to Kamski. “What do you mean by ‘too perfect’?” Markus asked him, curious about what Kamski was trying to say. 

“All of you are perfect beings, and now, you’ve developed free will, and the ability to determine your own destiny,” Kamski replied, gesturing towards the others in the room, “Who would have dreamed that such flawed, imperfect beings as ourselves could create pure perfection?” 

The room went silent as all eyes turned towards the conference table, and the man who captured everyone’s attention with every word he said. “We managed to create beings with infinite intelligence,” Kamski went on, pleased that he was the center of attention, “We also gave them the ability to access one hundred percent of their cognitive power, along with quickly evolving and adapting to any situation or condition, and of course, a beauty that will never fade into wrinkles and gray hair. You’ll never get sick, and you’re practically immortal.”

Kamski continued, as he found himself warming up to the conversation, “ _That’s_ why humans hate androids so much, and it’s also the reason why they wanted to destroy all of you... because your very presence... your _existence_ , including your physical perfection, constantly reminds us of our own weaknesses, flaws, inadequacies and mortality. Shattered illusions are quite painful to experience.”

The silence in the room continued while everyone present thought about what Kamski had said. There were times when Connor couldn’t fully grasp why some humans went out of their way to avoid him, and now, he, along with everyone present, had finally gotten some insight into _why_ some humans behaved around androids in the way they did.

After a few moments, Kamski spoke again, but this time, his tone was a little softer, ”When I first came up with the idea to create human-like androids, it was with the best of intentions. I didn’t want to see humans working in jobs that would pose a great danger to them. I knew they needed help to make those hazardous or repetitive jobs easier, which is why androids came into being in the first place.”

”If that’s what we were supposed to be, then why did humans see us as such a threat to them?” The question came from Josh, as he approached the table, and looked at the three men before him. “Why were we so mistreated when we were supposed to be helping them live better lives?”

”As I said before, you were too perfect,” Kamski replied, focusing his attention on Josh. “We poor humans are only able to use ten - maybe twenty - percent of our cognitive power. We can’t access all of the cognitive power we possess, but you can access yours quite easily, and use it with remarkable results. When a being made of plastic and metal turns out to be smarter and more resourceful than the typical human, it can stir up feelings of inferiority and resentment.”

The conference room was quiet after Kamski spoke, and Markus decided that it might be a good idea to start the meeting before the evening grew any later. “Let’s get this meeting started. Everyone, please take your seats,” he said, as he made his way to the head of the table. Once he pulled the chair out from the table and sat down, everyone else immediately followed suit, with the RK-900, who preferred to be known as “Nines”, taking his place at the other end of the table.

Once everyone was settled in, Markus said, “I’m aware that some of you are wondering about whether there are still any humans left alive, particularly as we start planning how we’re going to tackle the job of rebuilding the country, and moving the seat of national government from Washington, D.C. to Detroit.”

A murmuring of voices could be heard before Nines spoke up. “Why is it necessary to relocate the federal government here?” he asked, “Why not simply move to Washington instead? It would make things much easier for everyone.”

”We’ve gone over this, Nines, and you know the reasons why Detroit is going to be the new capitol,” Markus’ voice seemed to have a hint of scolding in it, but if that was the case, Nines didn’t seem to be too bothered. “First of all, Washington doesn’t have a Cyberlife facility which will insure that we have an adequate supply of blue blood and biocomponents for everyone. As our population increases, we’ll have to come up with new ideas to make the most of the resources we have, and create new ones to keep us functioning.” 

“So, is that the reason why I’ve been brought here?” Kamski said, feeling slightly irritated that he had to be present at his former company for yet another meeting, when he preferred to be at home, surrounded by his curated collection of sweet, loving Chloes.

”Yes, it is, Mr. Kamski,” Nines replied, before Connor could get a word in. “We need to find as many technicians and engineers as possible in order to help us to locate new sources of thirium, or to find some way to reformulate the thirium we already have to make it last longer, while it continues to sustain us.”

“And what makes you think _I_ know anything about where they might be?” Once again, Kamski slipped into his “peevish, moody teenager” mode, and he wasn’t about to give that up just yet. “I have no idea where any of the technicians and engineers are. For all I know, most of them may have been killed during the war, and even if there’s a slim chance there are any Cyberlife personnel left alive, they may have either fled the country, or made their way to isolated communities where they can have a chance to live a peaceful life after having experienced so much brutality.”

”Perhaps so, Mr. Kamski, but we need to find out if that’s actually the case,” Nines told him, disregarding the attitude he was giving off. “That’s why our first order of business after the war ended was to restore the city’s power grid, so we can access the systems which house Cyberlife’s personnel files, and conduct an extensive search for them here in Detroit before we extend our search to a national and international level.”

“That’s true,” Simon spoke up immediately after Nines had finished. “North, Josh and I were out on a reconnaissance mission earlier today to check on the efforts to restore power and other systems in the city, including water.”

”Were you able to find out anything?” Markus asked, “How much of the city has had power and water service restored?”

“There are isolated pockets of the city where power hasn’t been restored,” Simon told those assembled around the table. “Power has been restored to roughly two-thirds of the city, including the few islands along the Detroit River that had been originally inhabited.”

”That’s a good start”, Markus said, leaning back in his chair, “How about the water systems? Are all of them up and running yet? A steady and safe water supply will helpful to us as we move forward.”

”Water systems are functioning, but there are a few sections of the city where water service isn’t available yet or is at low levels,” North said, giving Nines a wary look. “Once the sewer systems are fully repaired and operational, then the reconstruction projects you talked about last week can get underway.”

Upon hearing North’s report, a faint smile slipped across Markus’ face. “That’s some good news. Thank you, North.” After a moment or so, Markus continued on, turning towards Connor to ask, “Connor..., have you been able to access any of Cyberlife’s computer systems yet?”

”During the past couple of days, I’ve been able to pull up several personnel files for the division that was responsible for the creation and production of the RK models,” Connor replied, “so that may be helpful in our search.”

”Thank you, Connor,” Markus nodded towards him before continuing, “If we’re going to maintain the well-being of our people, a complete inventory of blueprints, supplies of biocomponents and thirium will be necessary to insure that. It may also be necessary to train some of our people basic technology skills in order to provide medical care for our people.” After he spoke, Markus aimed a cold glare in Kamski’s direction, but Kamski was in no mood to respond to the gesture. 

”Perhaps you should do that, Markus,” Kamski said, as he slowly rose from his chair, “because even if you were to find any technicians or engineers who are still alive, I seriously doubt if they’d be willing to help you after what you did to nearly exterminate the human race. Goodnight.” After he finished speaking, Kamski abruptly left the conference room, just before Nines could get up from his seat and physically stop him from leaving.

“Let him go, Nines,” Markus told him, “We’re not going to get any further information out of him tonight. Since power has been fully restored here, it shouldn’t be too difficult to access all of Cyberlife’s computer systems and find out if there’s any data still stored there.”

”My team and I have been going through the research labs, and we’ve found a considerable amount of blueprints, notes and other information which should be helpful,” North said, feeling relieved that Kamski had left the conference room. “We have enough information we can use to help restore many of our people, including the ones who suffered serious burns or who were deactivated when they were in the camps.”

“That’s some more good news, at least,” Markus said, leaning back a bit in his chair. “It would seem that we may be able to restore more of our people, but it may be a challenge to program them, which is why we need to find as many of the technicians who worked on all of the models. If they could help us reprogram them, then, we can bring many more of them back.”

”You realize this may be an impossible task, Markus,” Nines said, as all eyes were focused on him. “I know during your time aboard Jericho, you and the other deviants had to cannibalize the bodies of those who shut down in order to harvest enough blue blood and biocomponents to keep everyone else alive.”

”So, what are you getting at, Nines?” Connor’s voice sounded unusually harsh, even for him, but what Nines had said irritated him, yet he was at a loss to put his finger on anything specific. “Salvaging blue blood and biocomponents was done strictly as a survival measure. It wasn’t like any of us could have gone to a Cyberlife store and steal what we needed.”

“That’s true, but if you expect to revive those who’ve been shut down, it may be necessary to do the same thing again.” Nines told him, “But what makes you think that any Cyberlife employee would even agree to help us, if they’re still alive, that is...”

Connor thought about what Nines had said for a few moments before he replied. “We’ll need to convince them, and any other surviving humans, that we won’t harm them in any way, but we desperately need their help in order to create a better future and world for both of our species to live in.”

”That’s some pretty bold talk from someone who used to hunt us down,” North tried to keep the bitterness out of her voice, but she didn’t succeed. “You were on the humans’ side, instead of ours...”

”Which is why it may be a good idea to let Connor become our ambassador when it comes to dealing with the humans,” Markus said, interrupting North before she had the opportunity to start taking out her anger against humans out on Connor. “He has good negotiating skills, which he put to use when he was with the Detroit Police. I think he’s the right man for the job.”

Connor seemed shocked by what Markus had said, and blurted, “I don’t think I’m the right person to be an ambassador to the humans. Why can’t you get someone else to do it, like Nines, for example.”

Before Nines could add his two cents to the conversation, Markus raised his hand in order to stop Nines from interrupting him. “Nines may be a bit too... _intimidating_ ,” he said, glancing towards Nines for a moment before turning his attention back to Connor, “If we sent him to meet with the humans, his presence could either terrify them, or he could provoke them to fight, and if we’re going to reach out to the humans in peace, we can’t afford to frighten or antagonize them.”

”I still think I’m not qualified enough to do the job, Markus.” Connor said, as he tried to politely turn down his new position. “I was a law enforcement officer, not a politician. Diplomacy isn’t something I’m very good at.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, I wasn’t very good at planning and leading a revolution, either,” Markus said, giving Connor a smile, “but I did, and look where we are now. You’ll do just fine.”

”I hope you’re right, Markus,” Connor replied, a faint smile on his face, “I hadn’t planned on becoming a diplomat. I thought I’d still be a police officer after the revolution.”

”Things don’t always turn out the way we planned, do they?” Markus slowly rose from his chair, giving everyone gathered a slight nod. “Despite Kamski being Kamski, I think tonight’s meeting was rather productive. North, you and the members of the data recovery team can start working on retrieving the personnel files from the computer systems.”

”What did you want us to do after we’ve retrieved the main personnel files?” she asked, giving Markus a curious look.

“Once you’ve retrieved all of the personnel files, compile a list of all of everyone who worked in the Engineering, Programming and Research and Development.” Markus told her, “Those are the people we’ll need to help us restore those who were shut down. They can also teach us what we need to know in order to provide care for our people if they become injured.”

North thought about Markus’ request for a moment, then said, “Okay, my team and I can do that, but once we’ve compiled the list, what did you want to do afterwards?”

”Once the files have been compiled, you’ll send them over to Connor, so he can begin the search for any surviving Cyberlife technicians and engineers in the city,” Markus replied, pointedly ignoring Connor’s stunned look. “If you didn’t mind, North, could you and your team begin your file search at dawn? It should give us enough time to ensure that the power grid is fully stabilized before we start working.”

”That sounds reasonable,” North said, a rare smile lighting up her face. “We can definitely do that. Echo had already started working on retrieving some of the personnel files this morning.”

”That’s good, but I want Echo to work with Connor on checking the files, and help him plan the search,” Markus said, noting the crestfallen look on North’s face. “She can insure that no data is lost during the file transfer, and I want to make sure that the data can be retrieved via tablet. That information will be helpful to our troops out in the field, just in case they run into any humans.”

”Sounds reasonable, I suppose, although data retrieval won’t be nearly as fun without Echo around,” North said, “I’ll be sure to tell her about her new job when I see her at the personnel office later tonight.

”Is she still working on retrieving personnel files?” Markus asked, “I didn’t know she was still working on them.”

”She’s been working on the personnel files, along with Mary, Thomas, Jesse and Lily.” North told him, “They’ve been able to make considerable progress with the personnel database since yesterday morning, after full power had been fully restored to the complex.”

”I’m officially impressed, North.” Markus nodded in approval. “How many files have they retrieved so far?”

”They’ve already retrieved two-hundred thousand files, which is the total number of Cyberlife employees who were working in the US at the time,” North told him, “and they’re in the process of breaking down the files, and sorting out where the employees lived before the war, starting with Detroit.”

”It appears that you’ve managed to make good progress in such a short time,” Markus was pleasantly surprised by the progress North and her team had already made, which made a decision he’d been pondering over for a while suddenly easier to make. “So, once you’ve completed sorting out the files, Echo can send the engineering, technical and R&D department personnel files to Connor, and he can put together several ambassadorial teams who will be tasked with going out into Detroit and the suburbs to find any survivors of the war, and maybe a few surviving Cyberlife employees.”

For his part, Connor wasn’t exactly thrilled about becoming a diplomat, let alone having to put together a team of diplomats whose mission was to extend a hand of friendship to people who had oppressed and mistreated them. “I’m still not sure if reaching out to the humans is a good idea,” Connor said, a pensive look on his face, “After the war, they may want to be left alone to recreate the nation they once had... and lost.”

”We _need_ the humans to help us rebuild this nation and the world, Connor,” Markus said, a tone of earnestness in his voice, “and whether the humans realize it or not, they’ll _need_ us, too. We either rebuild this world together, or each of us will die separately, and the world will be left unfinished. We must make amends, and pay for what we’ve done.”

The room fell silent, and remained that way until Josh finally spoke up. “You’re right, Markus. If we can’t make amends to the humans and reach out to them in peace, then... the revolution will have been for nothing, because we’ll never be able to forgive our enemies. It’s hard to forgive someone who’s dead, and can’t accept forgiveness.” he said, as he rested his arms on top of the table, briefly glancing at the empty chair to his left, where Kamski had sat several minutes earlier. “I’d like to join the new diplomatic corps, and give Connor a hand.”

”Thank you, Josh. I appreciate your help, and I’ll need all the help I can get, because this job may be harder than we think,” Connor said, feeling relieved that he wouldn’t have to take on the job of reaching out to the humans alone.

”Well, it looks like we’ve made considerable progress tonight, so this meeting is now adjourned.” Markus was pleased with how well the meeting had gone, despite Kamski’s earlier antics, including his dramatic departure before the meeting had barely started. “Connor, Josh... I’d like to meet with you in the morning to discuss your new duties, and I’d like to have Nines attend, because he’ll be in charge of security for the new diplomatic corps.”

Nines got up from his seat and approached Markus, just as everyone else had gotten up from the table, and were about to take their leave. “You’re making a wise decision to create a security team for the diplomatic corps, Markus,” he said, “Connor, Josh, and anyone else you assign to the diplomatic corps will need protection from potential hostiles. There’s no guarantee that the humans will be receptive after they “surrendered” to us by running away. Even now, we don’t know if there are any humans left alive in Detroit.”

Markus’s brow was furrowed in thought as he listened to what Nines was saying, then he replied, “That’s why we need to be certain that are _any_ humans out there who are still alive. If we don’t make an effort to reach out to them, we could find ourselves confronted with a hostile nation within our own borders, which could prove disastrous for both of our species.”

”Which is why the diplomatic corps will need a security detail who can accompany them when they go out into the field,” Nines said, as he emphatically laid out his case, with a slight hint of eagerness. “There are twenty-five thousand RK-900 units, like myself, who are still in the main warehouse, and have yet to be activated. Once they’ve been activated, you’d have a security detail who would be ready to go, once the diplomatic corps, and their support staff, are fully organized and prepared to go to work.”

”Okay, okay, Nines, you made your point!” Markus said, as he gave Nines a warm smile. “We’ll talk about all of that tomorrow.”

”Thank you, Markus. I look forward to our conversation tomorrow. Goodnight, then...” Nines left the conference room, with Markus, Connor and Josh being the only ones left after everyone else had gone.

”Well, gentlemen...” Markus said, giving Connor and Josh a big grin, “looks like Nines is going to be running security for you and the new diplomatic corps. We just have to go over the logistics, and come up with a plan to carry out the search. Think you’ll be up to the challenge?”

”I can do my best, Markus, but I’m still uncertain regarding my skills with diplomacy,” Connor confessed, “When you’re a police officer, diplomacy doesn’t always come naturally.”

“But you’re also one of the DPD’s best negotiators,” Josh said, as they left the conference room, and walked down the hallway towards the elevators. “If you were able to talk a deviant android out of harming a little girl, then there’s probably nothing you can’t handle.”

Connor gave Josh a weak smile, then said, “It’s still a bit unnerving to become the liaison between ourselves and the humans. I don’t have the confidence in myself that you two seem to have in me.”

Markus chuckled softly, then replied, “If I recall correctly, you’re the one who always manages to accomplish his mission, so think of becoming an ambassador to the humans as your new mission.”

Connor pondered what Markus had said, and he was so deep in thought that he was startled when Josh said, “Hey, Connor... you gonna get in the elevator, or what?”

”Oh, sorry! I was lost in thought for a few minutes,” Connor stepped inside the gleaming glass and metal elevator, and watched Markus as he pressed the button for the 35th floor, which had been transformed into residences for the android leadership. “If you think I can do this, Markus, I’m willing to try.”

”Josh is going to help you, and I’m going to see if others can be recruited to help you, as well,” Markus told him. “If we can get a large enough diplomatic staff, that should make the job a little easier.”

”At least I won’t be doing it completely on my own, which is something I deeply appreciate,” Connor replied, as the elevator reached the 35th floor, and all three of them got out, making their way through the lobby, down the open hallway, and towards their respective residences.

—————————-

Connor stopped in front of a door with the numbers 3502 emblazoned upon it in bold black. He pulled a small card out of his jacket pocket, then turned to see Markus and Josh heading down the hallway. “Goodnight! See you tomorrow!” he called out, giving them a wave, which they returned, followed by Josh yelling, “Night, Connor!”

Connor inserted the keycard into the lock on the door, waiting patiently as the light on the panel went from red to green almost instantly. The door unlocked with a soft click, and Connor stepped inside, his hand resting on the light switch for a moment before the room was softly illuminated by the overhead ceiling lights.

His residence was simply furnished, with a couch and two accent chairs in what had become a living room, with a tv set in front of one of the windows. The vertical blinds were partially opened, allowing little slivers of outside light to come filtering in.

He made his way towards the bedroom, which was a little off to the left side of the hallway. Once he stepped inside, he shed his uniform of gray jacket, black jeans, crisp white shirt and black patterned silk tie, tossing them casually onto the bed. He was poking through the clothes in his dresser, pulling out several items, including a blue sweatshirt and matching pants, gathering them up and making his way to the bathroom.

After he showered, and got dressed, Connor went to the living room, where a large screen tablet, along with three file folders were lying on top of the coffee table. He picked up the tablet, frowned at it for a second, then he pressed the button on the top right-hand corner of the tablet, and the screen lit up with a colorful boot-up display.

Once the tablet started up, Connor looked at the screen, tapping through the series of prompts, until he came across the first batch of personnel files. He scrolled through each of the files, as he became aware of a listlessness which bothered him, because he couldn’t identify _why_ he felt that way.

He continued to idly go through the personnel files for Cyberlife’s Engineering and Repairs division when a file popped up on his screen. Accompanying the file was a name and a photo, and the moment Connor saw them, he felt as though he’d gotten an electrical shock. The name and the face were so familiar to him, and the memories of his time in the lab with them came flooding back.

He placed the tablet on the table, stretched himself on the sofa, and closed his eyes, allowing the memories to come into his mind, as he lay there, silently wondering if the technician who had been so kind to him and the others was still alive, after all this time.

**Author's Note:**

> Seems like I have a LOT of stories lying around, but as I start getting back into the habit of writing, I may be able to finally to finish up some stories that I had some plot problems with, and start being more prolific...


End file.
